


...And your Enemies Closer

by reddish



Series: The Tiara Chronicles [7]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Collector Ship, F/F, ME2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-16
Updated: 2013-06-16
Packaged: 2017-12-15 05:33:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/845883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddish/pseuds/reddish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tara made it off the ship, despite TIM's best attempt to get her killed. Checking back in with Liara.</p>
            </blockquote>





	...And your Enemies Closer

“Commander,” Kelly called as Tara stopped by her terminal. “The Illusive Man wants to see you.”

“I bet he does,” Tara spat. “I’ll get to him in a second.”

“Commander Shepard, are you okay? I mean, I was worried for you down on that ship, but it seems like you got out with no trouble.”

Tara laughed. “Other than your boss setting me up to possibly die on the same ship that killed me the first time? Yeah, no trouble.”

Kelly was aghast. “What?!”

“Look,” Tara sighed, “just don’t worry about it, Kelly. I’m angry at him, and it’s completely justified. It’s not PTSD or anything else, I promise. But I need to cool down before I go talk to him.”

Tara summoned the elevator, and turned to face Kelly before the doors closed. The poor girl looked confused and frightened, and it made Tara’s stomach roil. This wasn’t her fight. Sure, Kelly worked for a infuriatingly one-minded terrorist, but she wasn’t privy to that information. She was just a kid.

How many kids was Tim willing to sacrifice for his mission? How many adults? How many billions of dollars rebuilding Shepard was he willing to flush down the drain for this information that could protect humanity for just a few years before Reapers invaded?

Tara slumped into her cabin and fell back onto her bed with an aggravated sigh. She tapped some information into her omni tool, accessing the secure, private channel back to Liara.

“Honey,” Tara called into her visor as she laid her head back on a pillow, “I’m home.”

“Took you long enough,” Liara replied almost instantly, sounding like she had been holding her breath since they had last hung up. “I didn’t call the Alliance. Not yet. I was listening in to your comm chatter.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Have you spoken to him yet?”

“Tim? No, I’m counting to ten first. If I go in there right now, I’m going to find a way to punch his shitty little weasel face through the communication relay.”

“Tara,” Liara said, taken aback. “You do need to relax.”

“That’d be easier if you were here,” Tara drawled, letting her eyes slip closed.

The asari’s gentle laugh made Tara smile. “I’m sure,” Liara agreed.

“You make me happy,” Tara said, hugging a pillow to her chest. “That takes a lot in this fucked-up galaxy, you know?”

“I do,” Liara concurred, sadness tingeing her voice.

“I just… wanted to say that. And also thank you.”

“For what?”

Tara laughed. “You’re the Shadow Broker. Don’t you know everything I’m thankful for already?”

“Humor me,” Liara requested, and Tara could hear the smile on those lips.

“Well,” Tara began, “it goes without saying that it’s pretty awesome to have the Shadow Broker’s resources attached to someone who wants to have sex with me. But more than that…”

Tara soothed herself by listing the things Liara had done for her that she felt so grateful to her for, sharing a few laughs and a few pained sighs with her along the way. By the end of the conversation, she found herself no longer in a place of rage about the Collector ship. Distrust and discomfort, of course, but she didn’t want to murder anyone anymore.

Anyone but the Collectors, that is. It’s bad enough that Tim would have sold her out for a few months of safety for humanity, but for the same ship that killed her once to try and lure her back again? That was just arrogant.

Tim was stupid, reckless, arrogant, and probably a little evil, but the Collectors were, Protheans or not, genocidally evil and working for the most genocidally evil beings in existence. That was where her anger should be pointed. If it came down to it, she could take Tim out, but only if he made it a habit to get in her way.

“Anyway, thanks,” Tara sighed. “It’s just… nice to talk to you again.”

“I’ll try to be as useful as I can be, Tara.”

“You do have your uses…” Tara acknowledged.

“I think you’re ready to go talk to Tim,” Liara deflected sternly.

“Fine, fine. I’d let you know how it went, but I’m fairly sure you’ll find a way to listen.”

Liara laughed. “Just don’t let him find out.”

“My lips are sealed,” Tara promised, standing up. “Love you.”

“Love you, Tara. Be strong.”

“Strong like an Amazon,” Tara finished. “Tara out.”


End file.
